By Judy Razo

When your child goes to college, your engagement with them changes. You can’t volunteer at the school, they won’t be living at home, you can’t keep track of study habits, and the academic advisor is not allowed to share your student’s academic information.

That’s right. By law, the only person allowed to receive your child’s grades and GPA is your child. Now that they are in college, the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) classifies your child as a responsible adult and therefore protects their right to privacy.

So how can you check grades when your son or daughter doesn’t have to show them to you?

Trust your child.Start by acknowledging that your child is now considered an adult and therefore respect them as one. This will only strengthen your relationship and keep the lines of communication open between you, which in turn will make your child feel comfortable enough to show you his or her grades, no matter what they look like.

Agree to share grades.Before your student leaves for college, make an agreement for when he or she will share grades. This will set expectations and help keep your child on track as he or she keeps in mind the agreement to share grades after midterms and at the end of the semester.

Offer incentives.If you are able to, you could offer to pay tuition in exchange for a strong GPA. You could also incentivize your student by offering to increase the monthly stipend or upgrade their living or lifestyle arrangements each semester contingent on academic progress.

Understand their degree plan.Take your parent engagement level a step beyond just grades—ask your student to walk you through their degree plan and sit down at the end of each semester to check off the completed classes. Stay open-minded to your child’s choices and always be supportive if he or she chooses to change his or her major or area of study.

Remember to be confident that you raised a well-rounded and prepared child. This is the opportunity to allow all of the things you taught him or her to kick in; you just have to be patient, open-minded, and give it some time. Your child will apply what you have taught him or her and learn new techniques that will hopefully pay off.

By Jessica Vician

It seems that we celebrate the New Year twice a year—once on January 1 and once when school starts. After all, a new school year affects our annual calendar more than the official holiday. As we change our routine with the new school year, it's a great opportunity to reflect on the previous school year and set goals for the upcoming school year.

This year, I challenge you to sit with your children and discuss their "Back to School Resolutions." Think about and ask these questions:

What does your child want to accomplish this year?

What were the best parts of the last school year?

What were the hardest parts?

What are they excited about this year?

It's a great time for your family to reevaluate priorities and form resolutions to keep everyone organized, happy, and healthy for this school year. Here are some suggestions to consider for your resolutions:

Physical fitness—Are your kids getting at least 60 minutes of exercise a day? Are you getting at least 30 minutes a day?

By Noralba Martinez

Why do kids become bullies? They're almost always looking for control and attention and therefore act out in negative and destructive ways. As an early childhood intervention specialist, I've seen children become bullies, but I've also seen how to prevent kids from becoming bullies. By equipping your child with the confidence and assurance they need, you can stop your child from becoming a bully.

You can boost your child's self-esteem with these methods:

Praise your child’s efforts, accomplishments, and desired behavior.Acknowledge the wonderful things your child does every day. A simple "you are so smart" can go a long way. When praised frequently, your child will believe in themself and feel confident to face challenges. As you focus on your child’s good behavior, their need for negative attention will decrease.

Empower your child.Give them control over things that are appropriate. Let them pick out clothing to wear, choose an afternoon snack, or select paint colors for an arts and crafts project.

As your child matures, giving him or her more control over other things can continue to foster confidence and independence. Confidence helps a child feel successful and eliminates the need to degrade or bully someone else.

Role-play different social scenarios with your child and work out possible solutions together.

Talk to your child about their self-worth and unique strengths.

Help your child understand that they are in control of the outcome of any situation they face.

Give your child positive attention every time they do something that you want them to repeat.

Encourage positive social-emotional development by being a role model of respect and consideration towards others.

Start using these tips today to help your child be compassionate and empathetic. These small steps will build your child’s confidence so that they don't feel the need to make others feel bad and bully them.

By Kevin Rutter

Successful students need engaged parents to support them. On behalf of all teachers, I'm asking you to continue to support your child's education as the school year begins. You can make this year successful for your child with these parent engagement tips:

Update your contact information.Teachers will need to reach you at some point during the year, so make you're your contact information is up-to-date. If you've moved or changed phone numbers, please contact your school’s attendance office and provide the new information. Having the correct contact information creates the right environment for a timely communication flow between the school and home.

Take advantage of technology.We've seen a technological revolution in schools in the past decade. There are new tools available for parents to monitor what is happening with their student at school. Your child’s grades and attendance data should be accessible for review online. These systems can also send you text messages if your child cuts class or their grades dip below an acceptable level.

Technology allows parents to be more active participants in their child’s education. Please contact your school’s main office to learn how to connect with these applications.

Attend an open house or parent-teacher conference. Make a point to attend open houses or parent-teacher conferences whenever they are offered. It shows your child that you care about their education and shows the teachers and staff the same. Schools also use these events to showcase programs and services that are available for parents to help boost their engagement in their child’s education.

Keep communication lines open with your child’s school by providing updated contact information, using educational technology, and meeting with your child’s teachers and school staff. By following these tips, you will get the most out of your engagement and increase your child’s success in school.

By Judy Razo

Parenting is different when your child is in college. Your child might not live at home so you can't keep track of study habits and you're no longer entitled to receive your student's grades.

So how can you keep those grades in check when your son or daughter doesn’t have to show them to you?

Trust your child.Start by acknowledging that your child is now considered an adult, and therefore, you should respect and trust them as one. This will only strengthen your relationship and keep the lines of communication open between you, which in turn will make your child feel comfortable enough to show you their grades, no matter what they look like.

Establish a protocol for academic struggles. Before your child starts college, discuss a protocol in case they have trouble with a class or grades begin to slip. Present it as a “just-in-case” plan that both of you hope you won’t have to use.

As a parent you have high expectations for your child. As a son or daughter, your child doesn’t want to hear that you think they're going to fail, so be tactful in your delivery. Acknowledge that going to college is very different than going to high school and this plan will provide wiggle room as your child adjusts.

Agree to share grades.Before your student leaves for college, agree on when they should share their grades. This will set expectations and keep your child on track as they remember the agreement to share grades after midterms and at the end of the semester.

The agreement will vary depending on the relationship between you and your child. If you are able to, you could offer to pay tuition in exchange for a strong GPA. You could also incentivize your student by offering to increase the monthly stipend or upgrade their living or lifestyle arrangements each semester contingent on academic progress.

Walk through their degree plan together.Lastly, you can take your parent engagement level a step beyond just grades by having your student walk you through their degree plan and sit down at the end of each semester to check off the completed classes. Stay open-minded to your child’s choices and be supportive if they choose to change their major.

Remember to be confident that you raised a well-rounded and prepared child. This is the opportunity to allow all of the things you taught them to kick in; you just have to be patient, open-minded, and give it some time. Your child will apply what you have taught them and learn new techniques that will pay off.